For most men, it takes a long time to buy a real belt. The first belt, you just have. Who knows where it came from. Dad? Then, you outgrow it. You shop for a real belt, and realize they cost at least a hundred bucks. You balk. You turn to canvas, nylon, and other odd, makeshift belts.

Listen: Don't waste time with the cheap belts. Just buy a real one. Buy one like Rancourt's American-made Brown Chromexcel. Yes, it's $95. That's a lot. But think about it. Wear it every day, and you're down near a quarter per use within the first year.

Besides, you'll get way more than a year out of it. Belts are not cameras or laptops. They do not become obsolete. The right belt will last you a lifetime (or at least until you get too fat for it). As modern technology goes, belts are future-proof. Unless textile engineers devise some crazy hover pants that hold themselves up on their own, belts are here to stay.